BBC objects to Twitter’s ‘government-funded media’ label

The BBC has objected to being labelled as “government-funded media” on Twitter.

The company mentioned it had contacted Twitter after the label was added to the primary BBC account.

Twitter proprietor Elon Musk responded to the grievance, asking: “Is the Twitter label accurate?”

Musk later emailed the BBC, saying: “We are aiming for maximum transparency and accuracy. Linking to ownership and source of funds probably makes sense.

“I do suppose media organisations ought to be self-aware and never falsely declare the whole absence of bias.

“All organisations have bias, some obviously much more than others.”

He added: “I should note that I follow BBC News on Twitter, because I think it is among the least biased.”

The broadcaster mentioned it was chatting with Twitter in regards to the designation, saying in a press release: “The BBC is, and always has been, independent.

“We are funded by the British public via the licence charge.”

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The label on the BBC account hyperlinks to a web page on Twitter’s assist centre which describes “state-affiliated media” as shops the place the federal government “exercises control over editorial content through financial resources, direct or indirect political pressures, and/or control over production and distribution”.

The label was additionally utilized to US broadcaster NPR’s Twitter, however it has been modified to government-funded media – the identical because the BBC account.

BBC breaking information and sport accounts not labelled

The BBC has at all times maintained its impartiality and it operates via a Royal Charter agreed with the federal government which says it “must be independent”.

Britons pay a £159 yearly licence charge to fund the company’s output. The determine is ready by the federal government however paid by particular person households.

While the primary BBC account, which has 2.2 million followers, has been given the label, a lot bigger accounts related to the company’s breaking information and sport output weren’t.

The account principally tweets about BBC-produced TV programmes, radio reveals, podcasts and different non-news materials.

It comes after Twitter eliminated The New York Times’s blue verification tick from its account.